As we wind down the year and look to turning a new leaf, it is time to recognize those who are working to improve the world of B2B selling and marketing – thanking them for what they do and encouraging you to reach out to learn and grow in the coming year. Developing professionally by expanding your knowledge is one of the best ways to grow market share. Please create a plan for your professional development in 2012. Keep these folks on your radar to do that:
Guy Kawasaki – you are enchanting. Alltop is THE place to find great blogs on any topic and get a preview before you click. Plus, like us, you love hockey.
Jill Konrath – you keep us thinking, and you write in a way that people “get it” – thanks for setting the bar high, for your focus, and for being a mentor to many of us in the selling profession
Jonathan Farrington – you are blazing a trail in sales and marketing leadership and have taught me how to rally the troops when you want to get something accomplished. I'm thrilled to be connected with Top Sales World.
Hubspot – you walk your talk in content creation and offer us amazing lessons in pull versus push.
Special Hubspot recognition – Dan Zarella - you work is amazing. Thanks for all the contribution of marketing data into the business world.
Gerhard, Lisa, Larissa and all at Selling Power and the Sales 2.0 Conferences - what great ideas you've brought to the B2B world.
The team at RainToday - you put out incredible stuff. Hope to meet you all in 2012.
Great sales and marketing aggregator sites like Focus Top Sales World Smart Selling Tools The Customer Collective Salesopedia Eyes on Sales.
Cheerleaders for getting endorsements on your website: the Testimonial Director team. Chris and Colleen - love what you do.
New “magazine” approach (love this) of SoldLab also the G&B Magazine new digital magazines for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+. Nice stuff.
IBM – one word, Watson. How cool is he/it? Also to the trailblazers within EMC, HP, and other technology companies working to stay on top of business and grow it.
Marc Benioff – founder and creator of Salesforce.com, you get our attention, and then you create amazing new products and services
Mari Smith – Your journey to prominence has been graceful and powerful. Continued success.
All my Sales Shebang peeps including @jillkonrath @ardath421 @cfrancisvoice @goforno @sharpenz @annekeseley @annemillerny @eisellingpros @danitabye @debbiemrazek @jeanettenyden @referralsales @kellymccormick_ @kendraleelka @upyourtelesales @sellingtools @bridgegroupinc @josianefeigon @salesdiva
Twitter, Facebook for business, and LinkedIn – all B2B companies need to be using you in 2012.
Twitter at least for research and for listening. Facebook for a business page since everyone is there already, and LinkedIn to use deeper and broader than most B2B companies now use it.
My colleagues in B2B sales training, coaching, speaking, and writing – more about you soon. Special note to friend and colleague Miles Austin of Fill the Funnel, Craig Rosenberg of Funnelholic (with new baby this year!), also Trish Bertuzzi (and Matt) at The Bridge Group and the consistent, helpful sales blogging of Anthony Iannarino.
We're more proud of our blog at Score More Sales and our business Facebook page than ever and are committed to great valuable content for you every business day of 2012. May I better absorb and learn about Google+, Quora, and other tools I feel we should understand.
Post the sites we missed as "comments" - I promise it was not intentional - there is so much good stuff out there!
Call us if you need help with B2B sales prospecting, bringing B2B sales opportunities to closure, or getting your team fired up for 2012 - we travel throughout North America - and beyond, when invited.